Sahana Shankar

Sahana Shankar is a postdoctoral teaching associate in the Department of Psychology at Royal Holloway, University of London. Her work focuses on cognitive psychology, particularly false belief formation in health contexts, and pedagogic research into student learning biases. She has taught at King’s College London and the University of Surrey.

Education:

• PhD in Psychology (2023), Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology & Neuroscience, King’s College London
• Postgraduate Certificate in Learning and Teaching in Higher Education (2023), University of Surrey
• MSc in Mental Health Studies (2019), King’s College London
• BSc in Psychology (2018), King’s College London

Shankar’s research examines how prior beliefs and affect influence judgment and decision-making, particularly in health settings. She also investigates methodological variations in cognitive experimental psychology, with a focus on belief biases in student learning approaches. Her current projects include studying the impact of face masks on information processing and validating a neuroscience anxiety measure for students.

Scientific Awards:

• Fellow of the Higher Education Academy

She supervises undergraduate and MSc psychology research projects, including Final Year Projects (PS3201), Independent Critical Literature Reviews (PS3210), and PS5305 Clinical Psychology projects. Her collaborations span institutions like King’s College London, University of Surrey, and Royal Holloway, with notable work on sedentary behavior interventions and belief formation in healthcare.